Petition for an "Economic Bill of Rights" for American Citizens

For most American citizens, the current economic climate severely threatens our rights to “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” We are constantly plagued by a number of preventable socioeconomic tragedies including high unemployment, lack of adequate healthcare, the decreased purchasing power of the dollar, dysfunctional schools, low disposable income, homelessness, exorbitant student loan and household debt, pitifully low wages, and chronic hunger. All of us have experienced one or more of these problems. So LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Letter to

President of the United States of AmericaPresident Barack Obama

I just signed the following petition addressed to: The Executive and Legislative branches of U.S. government.

----------------Create an "Economic Bill of Rights" for American Citizens

For most American citizens, the current economic climate severely threatens our rights to “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” We are constantly plagued by a number of preventable socioeconomic tragedies including high unemployment, lack of adequate healthcare, the decreased purchasing power of the dollar, dysfunctional schools, low disposable income, homelessness, exorbitant student loan and household debt, pitifully low wages, and chronic hunger.

A corporate culture of greed and a stubborn commitment to “survival of the fittest” politics combine to leave too many Americans destitute, unfulfilled, and unable to provide a decent quality of life for themselves and their families.

In 1944, 67 years ago, then President Franklin Delanor Roosevelt attempted to prevent our current reality by proposing what he called an “Economic Bill of Rights” for American citizens. In short, he insisted that the federal government work to ensure that all Americans, regardless of class, race, or creed, had the right to a decent home, employment, an adequate wage with which to secure food, clothing and recreation, adequate medical care, a good education, a business playing field free from monopoly and unfair competition, and adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment.

As a measure of good faith, and in an effort to protect and advance the rights and liberties of “We the people,” we ask that the Senate, House of Representatives, and President of the United States of America work jointly to draft and pass legislation that ensures, protects, and enforces basic economic rights for all American citizens.